Strangers on a Train is a 1951 psychological crime thriller
that was directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It stars Farley Granger, Ruth Roman and
Robert Walker. Unfortunately, it would be Walker’s last ever film as he died of
an accidental overdose a few months after the film was released.
On a train, Guy Haines (Granger), a relatively famous tennis
professional, accidentally bumps into Bruno Anthony (Walker) in the dining room
and a conversation strikes up between the pair. Persuading Guy to have a
private lunch in his compartment, Bruno brings up that he knows that Guy wants
to divorce his wife and marry Anne Morton (Roman), but his wife is refusing to
grant a divorce. He then brings up his theory of the perfect murders: he will
kill Guy’s wife and Guy will kill Bruno’s father, who he doesn’t get along with
(“criss-cross” – a reference to train track crossovers). Thinking he’s crazy,
Guy refuses and gets off the train at the next stop. Guy leaves his cigarette
lighter behind, and Bruno takes it.
Guy meets with his wife, Miriam, at work. Previously she had
indicated she would grant him a divorce but out of pure spite she changes her
mind. Guy gets angry and as he starts to strangle her onlookers step in and
make him leave the workplace. Guy then phones Anne and tells her his wife won’t
divorce him while saying how he wants to strangle her.
Later that night, Bruno arrives in town and follows Guy’s
wife and two male friends at the local carnival. The man who operates the
tunnel of love boat rides makes a note of Bruno’s face as he is passing
through. After passing through the tunnel of love, they come to an island and
while Miriam is hiding from her friends while playing a game, Bruno sneaks up
and strangles her to death before quietly sneaking off. Meanwhile, Guy is on a
train back to Washington and the only witness to him is a drunk professor.
Later, Bruno appears outside Guy’s house and informs him he has done his part
of the deal, and it is now Guy’s turn. Shocked, Guy tells him to leave him
alone.
Over the next few days, Bruno stalks Guy wherever he goes in Washington, greatly disturbing Guy. One amazing shot is the above image of Bruno standing on the steps of the Jefferson Memorial all by himself watching Guy pass by in a taxi.
Guy is the main suspect in the killing of his wife as there
appears to be no one else with a motive for the crime, although there is no
hard evidence connecting him with the crime scene. He is put under constant surveillance
outside his house. Bruno mails Guy the keys to his house, a map of the house
indicating his father’s bedroom, and a pistol to kill his father with. A few
nights later at a party thrown by his girlfriend’s father, Bruno shows up to
Guy’s horror and starts mingling with the guests. While using a guest as a
demonstration of how to strangle someone without them screaming, Bruno sees
Anne’s younger sister Barbara (played by Hitchcock’s own daughter Patricia) and
due to the similarity between her and Miriam, he has a flashback and after
actually strangling the guest faints. Anne realises what is happening and
confronts Guy after he has sent Bruno away and he confesses about what Bruno
really is up to.
Eventually, having enough of Bruno stalking him, Guy sneaks
out of his apartment at night, evading the police and makes his way to Bruno’s house. He sneaks
into the father’s bedroom and tries to talk to him about Bruno, but Bruno is
waiting in bed. Confirming he won’t fulfil his part of the deal, Bruno
announces he will frame Guy for the murder of his wife.
Concerned, Anne visits the Bruno household and tries to talk
to Bruno’s mother about his behaviour, but the woman is too deluded to believe
what her son has gotten up to. Bruno overhears the conversation between Anne
and his mother and informs Anne that he will plant Guy’s cigarette lighter back
on the island to frame him for the murder. Guy has a vital tennis match coming
up, and Anne and he devise a plan so he can play the match, escape his police (who want to arrest him after the match as they believe they have enough
evidence to prosecute him) and stop Bruno from getting away with his plan.
Guy wins his tennis match, but it takes him much longer to
finish off his opponent than he anticipated. Bruno is also delayed as after
stepping off the train Guy’s cigarette lighter slips out his hand and down a
drain, and it takes him a long time to reach down and grab it out. Using
Barbara to cause a distraction, Guy escapes the police and heads for the train
station to get back to the island. Unknown to him, the police are also on the
same train but are planning to follow him from a distance to see what he is up
to.
While waiting in line to get back to the island, the tunnel
of love operator remembers his face and informs the police. Bruno panics and
moves away, just as Guy reaches him and a fight breaks out. They begin to fight
on the carousel. Thinking that Guy is trying to escape them, a policeman fires
a shot that accidentally hits the carousel operator, causing the ride to speed
up and go out of control. It crashes and Bruno is killed, not before revealing
in his hand Guy’s cigarette lighter. The tunnel of love operator tells police
that Bruno is the mysterious man from the night of the murder. This proves to
the police that Guy is innocent and he is let go. He phones his girlfriend back
in Washington and reveals the good news.
